Magnetic recording attachment



April 5, 1966 5. BRAND MAGNETIC RECORDING ATTACHMENT Original Filed Nov.23, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR SAMUEL BRAND PM 7o 67 66 PM? PM8 68F|C5.8

PMS FIG.6

AT ORNEY April 5, 1966 5. BRAND MAGNETIC RECORDING ATTACHMENT OriginalFiled Nov. 23, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVE/VTOR SAMUEL BRAND ATTORNEYApril 5, 1966 5, BRAND 3,245,064

MAGNETIC RECORDING ATTACHMENT Criginal Filed Nov. 23, 1956 3 Shouts-Shut3 SPECIAL EK A ZONE //vv/v 70/? SAMUEL BRAND F|C5.1l TTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,245,064 MAGNETIC RECORDING ATTACHMENT Samuel Brand, 48Crary Ave., Binghamton, N.Y. Original application Nov. 23, 1956, Ser.No. 624,152, new Patent No. 3,045,218, dated July 17, 1962. Divided andthis application June 12, 1962, Ser. No. 201,891

' 10 Claims. (Cl. 340-1741) This case is a division of my applicationSerial No. 624,152, filed November 23, 1956, now patent No. 3,045,218and relates to magnetic character recording means, particularly inassociation with character printing means.

An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic recordingunit attachable to a character or item printing or typing machine andcharacterized by a set of individually movable permanent magnetsdrivable selectively in character coding combinations into magneticrecording impact with a record medium carried by the platen of theprinting machine. Magnetic recording may be effected concurrently withprinting under control of common character selecting means. The set ofpermanent recording magnets is vertically offset from the printingposition of the machine and is sized to record a character magneticallywithin an item field of the same size, at least in width, as a printedcharacter space, whereby a line of magnetic character representationswill be parallel to and of the same length as a line of the concurrentlytyped characters. A feature of the invention is that the magneticrecording unit is attachable to the exterior of the printing or typingmachine, no alteration or addition to the framework of the machine beingrequired, but suitable provision being made for mounting of theattachment to an outside part of the machine, preferably to the topplate or cover of the machine housing.

Another feature of the invention involves provision for enabling carboncopies of the printed matter to be made without receiving carbonimpressions of the impacts of the permanent magnets with the top sheet,shielding being provided between the top sheet and the underlying sheetsI at the magnetic recording position.

Another object of the invention is to provide the magneticrecording'attachment with a set of permanent erase magnets of the sameoverall size as the set of permanent recording magnets but of oppositepolarity, the set of permanent recording magnets and the set ofpermanent the invention, involving a magnetic recording and erasing unitas an attachment to a typewriter.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a central portion of the FIG. 1 apparatuson a larger scale, parts being broken away and sectioned to aid thedisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a section, essentially along line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section along line 4-4 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a section alongline 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a bottom View of the permanent recording and erasing heads orimpact ends, on a magnified scale. FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are sections,respectively, along lines 7- 7, 8-8 and 99 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side view of the head of a permanent recordingmagnet in the attachment.

3,245,064 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 attachable unit may be used. Keycontacts will be associated in known manner with the typewriterkeyboard.

Operation of keys to type items on a magnetic record carried by theplaten will close key contacts to establish circuits in an item encodingnetwork to energize the electromagnets for actuating the permanentrecording .magnets in various character groupings so as to impress therecord with magnetic signal patterns encoding the typed items.

The typewriter in FIG. 1 may be assumed to be of the kind disclosed inPatents 1,777,055 and 1,873,512. The key contacts, showndiagrammatically in FIG. 11, may be associated with the keys in themanner indicated for example in FIG. 9 of Patent 2,403,005.

A special type bar cover is substituted for the regular cover. Thisspecial cover 50 is formed with four posts 50a at the corners of arectangle. Threaded into these posts are screw studs 51. The base plate52 if the magnetic recording unit is confined between the heads of thestuds and the top surfaces of the posts, with smooth shank portions ofthe studs engaging parallel front and rear edges of base plate 52 toguide the base plate for adjustment, parallel to platen PL, betweenrecord and erase positions. Fixed on the base plate 52 is a right anglebracket 53, a housing 54 for the permanent magnets having its right sidewall 54a fastened to the vertical leg of the bracket. The bracketthereby supports the housing 54 completely from its right side in aposition clear above and inclined toward the front of typewriter platenPL, as seen in FIG. 3. Mounted in the bracket 53 above the cover 50 is aspring-depressed latch pin 55 which reaches down through an opening inbase plate 52 into engagement with a hole 50r or 50a in the cover. Withthe latch pin seated in 50r, it is locking the magnetic recording unitin record position. To adjust the recording unit to erase position, theoperator grasps the head of the latch pin to lift it from hole 501* andthen slides the unit to the right until the latch pin springs into thehole 502 (FIG. 4). This locks the recording unit in erase position.Should the operator release the recording unit .between its twopositions, it will be returned to record position by a spring 56 betweencover 50 and base plate 52. Movement of the recording unit to the leftbeyond its record position is prevented by contact of a rearwardprojection 52a of the base plate with the rear, left screw .stud 51.Directly under cover 50 and attached to it,

through insulation, by a bracket 57 are contact blades 58 and 59provided with coacting contacts EC. A pin 60 extending down from baseplate 52 engages the inclined insulating end of blade 58 to holdcontacts EC open while the recording unit is in recording position.

When the recording unit is adjusted to erase position, pin 60 permitscontacts EC to close, completing a circuit through a lamp EL (FIG.- ll)which will be in sight of the operator to signal the fact that therecording unit is pins, each terminating at its lower, record impactingend in a bipolar recording head strongly magnetized with the polarityindicated in FIG. 10 for producing an operative magnetic signal in anindex position of the magnetic record RS on the platen PL. The shanks ofthe magnets are oblong in cross section and pass through guide holes ofconforming cross sectional shape in upper and lower blocks 62 mounted tothe left side wall of the housing 54, whereby the magnets are slidablyguided for lengthwise movement toward platen PL. The heads of magnets PMare arranged in two columns, each with four heads, corresponding to thearrangement of index positions in an item field of the record. The eightrecording heads are closely bunched in flat sided engagement with oneanother, so as to occupy a minimum area such as to provide for recordingin an item field of small size commensurate with the size of a typedcharacter space.

To the left of magnets PM is a single column of four permanent erasemagnets E, each in the form of an elongated pin of oblong cross section,guided similarly to the recording magnets PM for lengthwise slidablemovement in the blocks 62. The erase magnets are of material similar tothe recording magnets and terminate at their lower ends in bipolarerasing heads, each magnetized with a polarity reverse to that of therecording heads. Each erase head is twice as wide as a recording head.At erase setting of the unit, the erase heads E1-2, E34, E5-6 and E7-8respectively cover the same index positions of an item field in magneticrecording location as are covered at the record setting of the unit bythe four pairs of recording heads PMl-PMZ, PM3-PM4, PMS-PM6 and PM7-PM8.All four erase heads will be simultaneously impacted with an item fieldto erase any operative magnetic signals therefrom.

Individual springs 64 between the permanent magnets, PM and E, and bars65, depending from the top wall of the housing 54, normally maintain thepermanent magnets elevated.

Actuation of recording magnets PMl to PMS is elfected on energization ofrespectively associated electromagnets M1 to M8. The electromagnets arein two tiers, each within a yoke 66, the electromagnets and yokes beingsecured inside housing 54 to its right side wall 54a. The armatures ofthe electromagnets are parts of bell crank levers 67 pivoted on rods 68.Levers 67 in the upper row are associated with electromagnets M2, 4, 6and 8 and rest on lugs 69 of the permanent recording magnets PM2, 4, 6and 8 (see FIGS. 5 and 9). Levers 67 in the lower row rest on the frontof looped lugs 70 extending from permanent magnets PMl, 3, 5 and 7 anddetouring around and to the front of PM2, 4, 6 and 8. On energization ofan electromagnet M1 to M8, its armature lever 67 depresses theassociated permanent recording magnet, against the force of a spring 64,to impact its recording head with an index position of an item field ofthe magnetic record on the platen to impress an operative magneticsignal in the index position.

The four erase magnets E are under common control of a single largeelectromagnet EM mounted inside a yoke 72 which is fastened, aboveelectromagnets M, to the side wall 54a of housing 54 (see FIGS. 5 and7). Armature lever 73 of EM is pivoted on a fixed rod '74 and providedwith a bail bar 73a resting on angle pieces 75 fixed to the erasemagnets. On energization of electromagnet EM, all four permanent magnetsE are depressed in unison by the bail bar 73a into impact with all theindex positions of an item field at magnetic recording location.

Adjustable bail bars 76 are located above the armature levers of theelectromagnets M and EM to determine the retracted positions of thearmature levers and to serve thereby to regulate the force of impact ofthe permanent magnet heads with the data record.

As may be understood from FIG. 1, with the magnetic recording unitmounted on the typewriter, the operators view of the typing is littleobstructed. The item field at the magnetic recording station is locatedabout /2 inch above and to the right of the printing position (see FIGS.2 and 3). When the magnetic recording unit is in record setting, the twocolumns of magnets PM are at magnetic recording station, facing the itemfield at this station and ready to impress this item field with theencoding magnetic signal pattern of the item to be printed in thecharacter space at printing position. As a line of items is typed on thedata record, a line of related item coding patterns is recorded bymagnets PM in a parallel line of item fields successively stepped tomagnetic recording station, such row or line of item fields constitutinga record field.

It may be desired to duplicate the typed matter on the magnetic recordupon the usual carbon copy sheets. In the present case, this must bedone without allowing the impacts of permanent magnets PM and E toproduce carbon impressions on the copy sheets. For this purpose, insteadof being equipped with the usual paper guide around the platen, thetypewriter is equipped with two paper guides, an inner guide and anouter guide 81 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The inner guide is formed with along horizontal slot 80a extending along the printing line. Above theslot, the inner guide is left with a long horizontal strip 80b oppositethe permanent magnets and integrally joined at its two ends, outsidetyping range, with the main portion of the inner guide below the slot.The carbon copy sheets, with their overlying carbon papers, will beinserted from the rear of the platen PL into the space between theplaten and the inner guide 80. At the same time, the top sheetmagneticdata record sheet RSwill be inserted also from the rear of the plateninto the space between the inner and outer guides 80 and 81. The datarecord RS and the copy sheets will be fed around the platen together bythe rear feed rolls 82 and the front tension rolls 83 and emerge, asshown in FIG, 3, above the platen and kept in place by the platen bailpressure rolls 84. The copy sheets will have been passed under the guardstrip 8% while the data record RS will have been fed over the guardstrip. On entering new sheets around the platen, the top edges of thecopy sheets and carbon papers may tend to enter slot 80a and fail to getunder guard strip 80b. The guard strip, however, being light andflexible, can be easily lifted by the operator and the top edges of thecarbon papers and copy sheets tucked under the strip to be fed intoplace under pressure rolls 84. The slot 80a exposes the copy sheets tothe blows of the types so that the typing of items on top sheet RSproduces carbon impressions on the copy sheets. On the other hand, theguard strip 80b covering the copy sheets takes the force of impacts fromthe permanent magnets when striking the magnetic data record RS andprevents these impacts from producing transfer impressions upon the copysheets.

The apparatus in FIGS. 1 to 10 will be explained further with particularreference to the circuit diagram, FIG. 11. Each item key of the keyboardof the typewriter, when depressed to type an item, closes a pair of keycontacts a and b. The b contacts of the several digit keys respectivelyconnect to relays R0 to R9. Each relay, upon energization, closes a pairof relay contacts leading to a pair of the electromagnets M1 to M5identified by the reference numbers of the relay contacts. For instance,operation of key 9 closes its b contacts to make the circuit of relay R9which, in turn, closes associated relay contacts 2 and 5 to separatelycomplete the circuits of M2 and M5. The energization of M2 and M5results in actuation of permanent magnets PMZ and PMS to impress theitem field at recording station with the combinational signal pattern ofmagnetic spots representing the keyed digit 9. Similarly, keying ofother digits reterns representting these digits.

item field. In the K zone, all the key contacts a lead to M7, so thatthe encoding patterns in this zone will will include the signal producedby operation of magnet PM7. In the U zone, the key contacts a are commonto the circuit of M8, whereby the encoding patterns in this zone willinclude the signal produced by operation of permanent magnet PMS. Thekey contacts a in. the Special zone have their common side in circuitwith a relay R11, the relay contacts of which lead separately to M7 andM8; hence, encoding patterns of this zone all include the signalsproduced by impact of the permanent magnets PM7 and PMS with'thefitemfield.

The shift key operation can bemade. to control the encoding network fordifferentiating the encoding patterns of any number of upper and lowercase items. In the present case, the code is extended by the shift keyto distingush upper case items of the digit row from the lower casedigit items. With shift key SK down, it is closing its key contacts at,bringing a relay R10 into circuit with the common side of the keycontacts a in the digits row. The contacts of this relay separately pickup M6 and M7; hence the encoding patterns of the upper case items of thedigits row will add the signals produced by permanent magnets PM6 andPM7 to the various digit signal combinations.

Provision is made for automatic recording of a monitor signal pattern atthe end of each line of magnetic character patterns. In FIG. 11, element25 represents a bypass pawl mounted by the common right hand margin stopcarried by the conventional typewriter carriage rack. When the last itemcoding pattern has been recorded on a line, the carriage steps ahead andelement 25 closes contacts 29, making the circuit of solenoid 11-MK. Thesolenoid closes contacts a, b and c to pick up M6, M8 and R6. Thecontacts of R6 pick up M2 and M4. Energized magnets M2, 4, 6 and 8operate the permanent magnets PM2, 4, 6 and 8 to apply a monitor signalpattern to the line of magnetically encoded items. In known manner,solenoid 11-MK is also used to depress key MK (FIG. 1) which serves likethe character keys to cause escape of the typewriter carriage, wherebythe carriage now goes to the end-of-line position. In this position,element 25 (FIG. 11) closes contacts 33 to complete the circuit of asolenoid 11-CR which is the operating solenoid for carriage return keyCR (FIG. 1). Operation of key CR causes carriage return and line spacingin known manner.

To erase any unwanted item coding pattern from an item field, themagnetic recording unit is first adjusted to its erase position (FIG.1), setting the erase magnets E at the magnetic recording station inconfrontation with an item field bearing the encoding pattern of theprinted item at printing position. Thus, by bringing the printed form ofthe unwanted item to the printing position, the item field bearing theencoding pattern for the unwanted item is brought to the magneticrecording station in confrontation with the heads of the erase magnetsnow adjusted to this station. The erase key EK is now operated, closingerase key contacts EKa (FIG. 11) to establish the circuit ofelectromagnet EM. Hence the four erase magnets E (also see FIGS. 5 and6) are depressed in unison to impact all the index positions of the itemfield at the recording station, canceling any unwanted item codingpattern therefrom.

Attention is called to the fact that the permanent magnets PM and E havetheir magnetic flux confined to their bipolar impact ends or heads. Eachsuch head,

in effect, is a U-form magnet constituted by coextens ive pole piecesseparated by an air gap and joined at the rear by the sectoinimmediately above the bight of the air gap, as may be understood fromthe dotted polarity-indicating line in FIG. 10. It follows that therecording or erasing heads need not be integral terminal portions of therods guided in blocks 62 (FIG. 5) but may be separated pieces of Alnicoor other magnetizable material rigidly fixed to the lower ends ofcarrying rods of non-magnetic'material.

While the invention has been shown and described in connection with aparticular embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention maytake form in other embodiments and that various changes may be made bythose skilled in the art without departing from the principle of theinvention. It is intended, therefore, to be limited only as indicated bythe following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic character encoding unit for a typewriter or the likehaving character types operable upon selection by character selectingmeans for printing characters one after another in character spacesalong a line of a record sheetsupported on a platen,

said encoding unit comprising a single set of permanent, recordingmagnets corre sponding in number and arrangement to the index positionsof each of item fields presented one at a time at a recording station,offset from the printing position, concurrently with the presentation ofa character space at the printing position,

means mounting said permanent magnets for individual movement intomagnetic recording impact with their respectively corresponding indexpositions in the item field at the recording station,

means through which said character selecting means is eifective encodingto select the magnets for actuation in any of various codal combinationscorresponding to different characters,

and means effective substantially concurrently with the printing of aselected character for actuating the selected, corresponding charactercoding combination of permanent magnets into magnetic recording impactwith the item field at the recording station.

2. As in claim 1, the typewriter or the like having a housing,

and means for mounting the magnetic character encoding unit externallyon said housing with the permanent magnets in front of the platen andtheir record sheet impact ends oriented toward the item field at saidrecording station.

3. As in claim 1, said actuating means for the permanent magnetscomprising electromagnets in the encoding unit, one electromagnet foreach permanent magnet, and a character translating circuit networkthrough which the electromagnets are selectively energized to drive theassociated permanent magnets into recording impact with the item fieldat the recording station.

4. As in claim 1, said encoding unit also containing permanent magneterasing means having a polarity reverse to the set of permanentrecording magnets and having a record sheet impact area equal to thetotal impact area of the set of permanent recording magnets, means foralternatively locating either the set of permanent recording magnets orthe permanent magnet erasing means into confrontation with an item fieldat the recording station, and means for actuating the permanent magneteras ing means into impact with a confronted item field to erasetherefrom any character encoding magnetic signal pattern.

5. As in claim 4, the permanent magnet erasing means and the set ofpermanent recording magnets being mounted in fixed arrangement withinthe encoding unit, the typewriter or the like having an external part onwhich the encoding unit is mounted for adjustment between record anderase positions, respectively to locate the set of permanent recordingmagnets or the permanent magnet erasing means at said recording station.

6. As in claim 5, and means for releasably latching the encoding unit ineither the record position or the erase position.

7. As in claim 6, a signal lamp circuit, and electric contacts operatedby the encoding unit in the erase position for closing said lampcircuit.

8. As in claim 6, and means for returning the encoding unit to therecord position upon release of the encoding unit between the record anderase positions.

9. As in claim 4, the set of permanent recording magnets and thepermanent magnet erasing means being mounted alongside each other withinthe encoding unit, and means included in the typewriter or the like formounting the encoding unit for adjustment parallel to the platen tolocate either the set of permanent recording magnets or the permanentmagnet erasing means 'at said recording station.

10. As in claim 1, wherein the record sheet is a magnetic record mediumfor receiving printing impacts from the types and magnetic signalimpressing impacts from the permanent magnets, the typewriter or thelike being provided with a paper guide around the platen formed with astrip confronting the permanent magnets throughout the range of magneticrecording in a line of item fields, the magnetic record medium being ledover the strip to receive magnetic signal impressing impacts from thepermanent magnets while a carbon copy sheet or sheets are led under thestrip to be guarded thereby from receiving impressions from thepermanent magnets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,333,463 11/1943 Bryce 34674 2,337,553 12/1943 Hofgoard 34674 2,784,392 3/1957Chaimowicz 340174.1 2,958,568 11/1960 Hagelbarger 34674 2,962,33911/1961 Way Dong Woo et al. 346-74 3,045,218 7/1962 Brand 340-1741IRVING L. SRAGOW, Primary Examiner.

M. K. KIRK, T. W. FEARS, Assistant Examiners.

1. A MAGNETIC CHARACTER ENCLUDING UNIT FOR A TYPEWRITER OR THE LIKE HAVING CHARACTER TYPES OPERABLE UPON SELECTION BY CHARACTER SELECTING MEANS FOR PRINTING CHARACTERS ONE AFTER ANOTHER IN CHARACTER SPACES ALONG A LINE OF A RECORD SHEET SUPPORTED ON A PLATEN, SAID ENCODING UNIT COMPRINSING A SINGLE SET OF PERMANENT, RECORDING MAGNETS CORRESPONDING IN NUMBER AND ARRANGEMENT TO THE INDEX POSITIONS OF EACH OF ITEM FIELDS PRESENTED ONE AT A TIME AT A RECORDING STATION, OFFSET FROM THE PRINTING POSITION, CONCURRENTLY WITH THE PRESENTATION OF A CHARACTER SPACE AT THE PRINTING POSITION, MEANS MOUNTING SAID PERMANENT MAGNETS FOR INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT INTOK MAGNETIC RECORDING IMPACT WITH THEIR RESPECTIVELY CORRESPONDING INDEX POSITIONS IN THE ITEM FIELD AT THE RECORDING STATION, MEANS THROUGH WHICH SAID CHARACTER SELECTING MEANS IS EFFECTIVE ENCODING TO SELECT THE MAGNETS FOR ACTUATION IN ANY OF VARIOUS CODAL COMBINATIONS CORRESPONDING TO DIFFERENT CHARACTERS, AND MEANS EFFECTIVE SUBSTANTIALLY CONCURRENTLY WITH THE PRINTING OF A SELECTED CHARACTER FOR ACTUATING THE SELECTED, CORRESPONDING CHARACTER CODING COMBINATION OF PERMANENT MAGNETS INTO MAGNETIC RECORDING IMPACT WITH THE ITEM FIELD AT THE RECORDING STATION. 